


A Window Into Me

by ThePagemistress



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Family Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-23
Updated: 2018-07-23
Packaged: 2019-06-15 06:00:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15406554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThePagemistress/pseuds/ThePagemistress
Summary: As the gang reunite several months after the revolution, Markus wonders just why Connor still has his LED.





	A Window Into Me

**Author's Note:**

> I got carried away with the beginning part so this feels like two completely different fics, whoops! But yes, all the family fluff but also some CyberLife-are-awful angst.

“Luther, help!”

“Luther can’t save you now, Alice. He’s been thrown into the dungeon. No one can save you from being my dinner!”

“Kara!”

“I’m sorry, Alice. You’ll have to fight your way out!”

“Impossible! No one can defeat me, the mighty dragon! Get back here!”

Markus raised an eyebrow from the coffee table he was sat at, watching as Simon chased Alice around the park, flapping his arms as if they were wings, the little girl giggling as she ran him in circles.

“There’s no escape!”

“North, help me!”

Markus shifted his gaze to North who was watching the display with apparent disinterest. But the moment Simon traipsed past her, focus solely on Alice, she stuck out a foot, sending him crashing to the ground. Alice spun around, seeing her assailant prone and made her move. Running back, she climbed onto his chest and knelt there, pinning him to the ground, triumphant. Holding a hand out up towards North, the woman fought down a smile as she high-fived her.

“Good job, kid. Don’t go easy on him.”

“Hey,” Simon said before getting back into character. “Ah! I have been slain! Alice the Courageous has prevailed.”

“Free Luther!”

“He is free.”

Luther, who had been sitting cross-legged at Kara’s feet for the past 10 minutes finally rose, rushing across to Alice, sweeping her up into his arms. “You saved me, Alice! The kingdom must celebrate!”

“I have just the thing,” Josh said, making an appearance, brandishing an ice cream.

Alice’s eyes widened as she patted Luther’s shoulder, signalling him to let her down. Josh handed her the cone. “Thank you,” she said.

“You’re welcome, Your Highness,” he said with a bow.

“She’s not royalty, idiot, she’s a _knight,_ ” North chimed in.

“Alright, geez,” Josh replied but there was no hostility in it as he watched Alice enjoy the treat.

She still wasn’t equipped for eating food but, ever since she first saw a young boy eating an ice cream, she had wanted to try. Turned out that letting it melt long enough on her tongue allowed it cycle through her system and so she was indulged at every opportunity. _Especially_ by the Jericho crew.

Alice made her way back over to Simon who was still laying on the grass, eyes closed. “Simon?” Nothing. “Simon.”

After another hesitation, there came a mutter. “I can only be revived with ice cream.”

Alice grinned but a noise from Kara momentarily drew her attention away. Kara pointed to the ice cream and then to her nose before giving a nod of approval. Alice’s grin widened. Message received.

Crouching down beside the PL600, Alice stuck a finger in her ice cream and promptly dropped the glob on Simon’s nose. The android sighed as he blinked open his eyes, the fondness found there eliminating any pretence of being annoyed. Sitting up, he turned to Markus who was struggling to contain a laugh. “Are you going to let her treat me like this?”

“I’m not telling her what to do. She’s a _knight._ ”

Markus watched as the six of them continued playing and chatting amongst themselves. He watched other families in the park look over at them and smile at their antics. They wouldn’t know, of course. Looking at them, no one could know they were a bunch of androids. Right here, right now, they were accepted and treated like everyone else. It was nice.

Peace talks were going well, if slower than Markus would like. The latest point of contention had been the LEDs and whether androids should be obligated to keep them, to make it obvious they were androids, especially as now more and more were wearing civilian clothing. All of their group had given up their LEDs at one point or another, in an effort to go unnoticed.

Well. Almost all of them.

Markus turned to look at Connor who was the only other occupant of the coffee table. He’d been quiet all morning, content to just be among them and watch their interactions. They’d met up on various occasions since the revolution, the detective having found it harder to adjust than most to his newfound deviancy. He had improved a lot and seemed to be making his own routine with the DPD and Lieutenant Anderson but Markus couldn’t help but think that he was still struggling.

“Can I ask you a personal question?” Markus asked, breaking the comfortable silence.

Connor raised an eyebrow, amusement clear in his expression. “I believe that is usually my line,” he said with a smile. “But please.”

“How come you haven’t removed your LED?”

Connor was clearly surprised by the question, eyes widening and mouth working with no words coming out as he attempted to order his thoughts. “It has not yet been permitted under the new Android Act,” he eventually replied and it sounded false even to his own ears.

“It’s OK,” Markus said, not wanting to pry and make him uncomfortable.

“No, it’s…” He hesitated. Markus had been so open and welcoming to him, he didn’t want to shut him out now but at the same time it was…complicated. Everything was complicated.

Connor knew that, while the revolution had been a success and public opinion was _generally_ favourable, there were still plenty of people who despised androids. Whose lives were ruined by androids and would continue to be ruined by androids. Who had lost androids to the revolution and were now in a worse situation than before.

He got plenty of glares and vicious remarks behind his back and sometimes to his face just for being an android. And he knew that he could prevent this by removing the LED at his temple. But there was one very important thing keeping him from doing so.

Hank.

Since going deviant, Connor had found himself a home with Hank and Sumo. He still worked for the DPD and was slowly but surely figuring out what it meant to be ‘human’ in many ways. But it hadn’t been easy, for either of them. Especially in the early days, Connor would find himself assaulted with all kinds of emotions and reactions and wouldn’t know what to do with them. And he wasn’t good at articulating what he was feeling or even whether it was worth mentioning in the first place. He didn’t want to bother Hank with every little thing, after all.

And as far as Hank went, he wasn’t the best at picking up on Connor’s moods either. _Except_ when he noticed the LED. The first time it happened, Connor had been watching some romantic comedy on TV while Hank was going over a case file on the couch.

As the film went on, Connor started to feel…frantic, almost. There was too much to process, too many things happening at once. Frustration, anticipation, longing, excitement…all things he can now put a name to but were so unfamiliar in that moment and that context. He had sat there in silence, practically vibrating out of his artificial skin, trying to keep all the emotions contained.

“Woah, hey, Connor, you OK? What’s going on? Talk to me, kid.”

His LED had been spinning a bright yellow, blinking rapidly as it tried to unpack everything just as quickly as it was coming on. Hank had been able to _see_ the problem. And then he had been able to deal with it. They’d talked it over, Hank not once ridiculing him for almost having a meltdown over 13 Going On 30 (well, not _too_ harshly, at least) and he’d been able to help Connor classify certain emotions and the triggers so he had a better understanding of them when they happened again.

It had happened many times over the last few months. Hank may not have been good at picking up on Connor’s emotional state, but he was surprisingly effective at dealing with it when necessary. Connor couldn’t even bare to think about what would happen if Hank no longer had a way of picking up on it. Maybe in the future when Connor could better describe his mental state, or when he had a better handle on the situation but not now. Not so soon.

Besides. There was something else.

Something he couldn’t even bring himself to mention.

He could still vividly recall being stuck in his own mind. Battling through the blizzard in the zen garden in the desperate hopes of regaining control. For now. He knows it could happen again at any time. The emergency exit worked but for how long? Amanda was still there. Waiting. Who knew when she may strike again?

He had thought about telling Hank. But he was overcome with fear. Fear of voicing it out loud for _them_ to hear. If they knew about the exit, could they not do something about it? What if the next time he found himself in the garden the stone was destroyed? Or blocked off? Inaccessible. No, he couldn’t risk it. Couldn’t risk anyone else knowing.

But the LED spun a deep red whenever CyberLife took control of an android. Warning. Danger. Beware. Impossible to ignore. Hank would know. He’d be able to stop him. He’d be there for him if it happened again. So long as he kept the LED, perhaps he would be safe.

His gaze flicked back to Markus whose focus had switched back to Alice who happened to be making her way towards them. Or, more accurately, towards Sumo who had been sat at Connor’s feet the whole time. The St Bernard perked up at her arrival and she held out what remained of her ice cream cone for him to devour in one mouthful.

She looked up at Connor, pleased with her deed and he offered her a warm smile. “This is why you’re his favourite, Alice,” he said and she smiled shyly before running back to Kara.

Connor turned back to Markus. “It makes me feel comfortable,” he said, finally. Markus snapped his attention back to Connor, contemplating him for a moment before nodding.

“Well, that’s the important thing. So long as you don’t feel like it’s an obligation.”

Connor shook his head. “Perhaps one day but, right now, I feel…safer having it there.”

Markus nodded again, giving him a pleased smile. A thank you, almost. For sharing.

As Connor turned back to watching their group, their _family_ , he hoped that yes, perhaps one day, he could fit in with them.


End file.
